Love it,hope you get a cup and saucer up there with it,that would look so good :) Did you make the bench from a chair or a headboard? I really like it a lot! Everything looks great :)

You can always try hanging the feeders independent of the trees. A post set into the ground with hooks for the feeders or the shepherd's crooks they sell specifically for this purpose would prevent any damage hanging feeding appliances directly to a tree might incur. As to the pros and cons of feeding birds.......I agree with Dan on this one. Expanding development has restricted/removed many of the natural habitats and food sources and encouraging birds to the garden is overall a very good thing - they are the best natural insect control available! Plus, they are infinitely entertaining. Planting to encourage habitat and to supplement food sources is desirable, but nothing wrong with feeders either. They can bring the birds up close and personal :-)) If you want songbirds, try a "no-waste" mix. Even if it gets scattered on the ground, it gets eaten too fast to hang around to attract rodents. And sapsucker damage to trees is generally more cosmetic than particularly harmful. Since they have a 'preferred' tree menu, you can always avoid attracting them by not planting the trees they like. And as they tend to limit their diet to insects and tree sap, with supplementation from fruits and berries - the seed feeders are unlikely to create additional problems.

Hi! Your feeder is neat, especially the way you've hung the tray on the bottom. The only thing I can think of, relative to your question about why birds aren't using that feeder, is that at this time of year it's not the feeder - there are so many insects, seeds, buds, etc. out there that haven't been available to the birds before spring, and I know that's where most of our birds are getting their nourishment. Even the gray catbirds that have been in the garden and birdbath haven't been visiting our fruit/jelly feeder. I've actually taken everything down except the nyjer feeder, and I keep the birdbaths filled and clean because all the birds come to those no matter what. On the other hand, we have a pair of goldfinches that visits our nyjer feeder every day at about 8 a.m. and 6 p.m., like clockwork. And more goldfinches than just those two take advantage of the feeder as well. So that feeder will stay up. This will work out - you could leave your feeder up and wait and see, birds may suddenly see it and use it. Good luck - Donna

Yup, I moved to the desert. It's ok if this bubbles back up to the top - at least it will eventually bubble back down, LOL! I have too many house sparrows at my feeder. They are scaring the hummingbirds away! But I can't find the Magic Halo ANYWHERE. Did they stop making it???